Would you know my name if I saw you in Heaven?
Would it be the same if I saw you in Heaven?
I must be strong and carry on
'Cuz I know I don't belong here in Heaven
Ah, the nuessance of being nine. You're too little to do anything. You're too young to go anywhere. Being nine was such trouble. Ah, but according to Ryuichi, it was all going to change this weekend. That's right, he was going to be TEN! Wow a whole new world was going to open up when he turned ten!
Ryuichi even went as far as making a list of what he'd be able to do. He could toss out that old blanket. It always tempted him to suck his thumb. Sucking thumbs were for babies. He would be able to take showers now. Baths were for kids. He'd finally be able to take off those training wheels on that blue bike. Hmmm, hopefully Mama would give him a helmet this weekend.
The phone rang. Ah yes. Ryuichi would finally be able to convince his mom he was old enough to answer the phone...maybe. Such strange parents.
"Ryuichi, it's for you!" She called up to him. He flew from the bedroom and down to the phone, glaring at his mother evilly. He was almost ten, he didn't need to be supervised on the phone. His mother must've understood what he was thinking as she left him alone in the kitchen.
" Moshi moshi konnichiwa."
" Ryuichi, whattaya doin?" Came the little boy voice on the other end of the line.
" Nothin...just...hangin."
" Can you come out?"
Ryuichi looked out the window. Sunny. His father was cleaning the backyard up for this weekend. He was inviting at least 12 of his best friends...and 6 girls. Mama insisted. Geez, mom's don't know ANYTHING about being a kid...being a boy especially. In fact, he was forced to invite the little sister of the friend on the phone. Ick, Nyoko could be very annoying. She was 4.
" Ryuichi?"
" OH! Hai. I'll meet you at the corner, ne?" He suggested.
" Hurry up, it's gonna be dark soon."
Ryuichi was swift to get to the corner, sitting on the curb as he waited. His thoughts were interrupted by a pair of hands covering his eyes and the sweet young voice accompanying it. " Guess who?"
" The milkman," Ryuichi guessed with a smile.
" Iie."
" Hmmmm, Yamamoto-Sensei."
" Uh uh, try again."
" It's...Scruffy the Puppy."
" Ryuichi!"
" Kumagoro!"
He was rewarded with a swat upside the head. " You're so stupid sometimes."
Ryuichi smiled at his friend. Dusty blond hair and eyes such an odd shade of brown that they looked almost pink. He sat on a fire hydrant and smiled back at Ryuichi.
" What are you going to do for your birthday tomorrow?"
" Hide from the girls. I asked Mama if I could have water balloons. I think the dog told on me though. Cuz she said she didn't want me bombing the girls."
Kumagoro laughed. " How DOES she do that!"
" I dunno but it's creepy."
" My mom bought Nyoko the ugliest party dress. Clown hair red with blue and yellow confetti pictures and little black buckle shoes."
Ryuichi would have slammed his head on something if there was something other than concrete. " What are you getting me?"
Kumagoro arched a brow and smiled, " A...pink bunny." He said it so whistfully and laughed. It only caused Ryuichi to laugh too. Kumagoro grabbed Ryuichi by the hair, " C'mon! It'll be dark soon!"
Ryuichi ran after him as they headed for a fenched area. Being small, Kumagoro was able o squeeze through the little gap. Ryuichi was a little bigger and had to climb a little ways. That was fine. Ryuichi was a good climber. Of course they never paid any mind to the "Keep Out! Danger!" signs. This is where they spent their days.
" Kumagoro, when you grow up, whattaya wanna do?" Ryuichi asked, sitting on a pile of trash. He kicked a concrete pebble into the running water coming from a pipe and heading through a concrete ditch out to a waste area.
" Hmmm," from the other boy, sitting on top of the submerged pipe protruding from the polluted ground. " I want to be cute so I always get what I want."
Both boys laughed. " No," Ryuichi chuckled. " I mean, when we're all grown up...what do you want to do for a job?"
" I want to be a soccer player." From the other boy.
" Kumagoro, you stink at soccer."
" Yeah, but when I'm grown up, I'll be good."
Again, both boys laughed. Kumagoro paused and glanced at Ryuichi, " What about you?"
" I'm gonna be a singer."
" And you can sing about my soccer conquests."
More laughter.
" Otanjoubi omedeto!" From the crowd of people around the table outside. Ryuichi wore a very wide smile. Ah, it was his day. A big strawberry cake, a huge table full of presents...no water balloons though. Mama was too clever for that.
It was a full house. All twelve of his pals came, and all 6 girls...and the new shy kid Mama INSISTED be invited. Mama pushed the cake forward. " Blow out your candles and make a wish."
Ryuichi thought a moment. What do I want to wish for? Make it good, Ryuichi cuz you only get one until next year. He thought back to the previous evening and the conversation he had with Kumagoro.
Yes, I wish tobe the world's greatest performer...and... Throwing in the "and" was always an easy cop-out to get two wishes for the price of one.
I wish...for my best friend to come with me wherever I go. He was quite happy with that thought. He nodded and blew out his candles. Claps and cheers came.
" Okay, now my presents..."
Chuckles from his friends. Same ol' Ryuichi. Nine or ten, it didn't matter, he was always the same Ryuichi.
He rubbed his hands together as the boxes were set before him. Ah, nothing sounded as sweet as the the sound of wrapping paper being ripped off a treasure. Like any kid, he rejected the cards his friends gave him. They were just kids and poor too. Only cards from relatives got opened, but never read, just shaken for the money to fall out.
The first thing set before him was from a dark-haired friend with glasses, Tetsuo. A super duper water gun. Ah, he'd get to torture the girl yet! The next gift was from a smaller friend, Kurohoshi...a lunchbox. Kurohoshi shrugged and pretended to throw his hair back...though actually pointing back to his mother. Ah, all was understood.
The gifts went like that in a see-saw of good and bad:
A big tow truck
A bicycle helmet
Pajamas
Chinese Checkers
A tape recorder
A movie
A box of candy
A magic 8 ball
A soccer ball
Just a plain birthday card from the strange new kid
A mini-zen garden
3 cassette tapes of 3 of his favorite bands
A pass for a free game of miniature golf
a...kazoo?
A yoyo
Another box of candy...hey, he wasn't gonna complain. Candy was candy
and last came a little box in front of him. He recognized the paper. It was used a few months ago at Kumagoro's birthday party.
He smiled as he opened it...and was a little surprised when he pulled out a pink bunny plushie. " Oh, you...you weren't kidding, were you?" He let out a nervous chuckle.
Kumagoro said nothing. In fact, Ryuichi, for once, was unable to read his face. He supposed he should be grateful. After all, it could've been worse, right? Coulda been the plain birthday card. But, Kumagoro should've known better. A BUNNY? A PINK BUNNY? What was he? A little girl! What would he do with a pink bunny? He was ten! He was too big for dumb plushies. They were for girls and babies now.
He wasn't always the most polite, but Ryuichi had a feeling there was tension rising. He figured he'd change the events while the getting was still good. " ICE CREAM!"
A scream as Ryuichi chased after the girls in their party dresses with the big water gun. Ah! How SWEET! But, darnit, Mama caught him and pulled the gun from him.
" Ryuichi, why don't you invite him to play with you?"
Ryuichi looked. It was the new kid again. " Mama, he's weird."
" He's new. He's probably shy. Go."
When Mama gave an order, she meant business. Ryuichi sighed and approached the new kid, who was sitting aside and watching everyone with a rather lonely expression.
" Hi."
" Hi," he replied.
" So..."
" Happy birthday, Ryuichi."
Ryuichi was a little taken aback. Somehow he wasn't sure what to expect. He shrugged, " So, you're new here, eh?"
The blond nodded, " Temporary. My parents are out of the country on a second honeymoon. I'm staying with my Grandma."
" Oh."
" Tohma."
" Nani?"
" My name. It's Tohma. Seguchi Tohma."
" Oh...I'm.."
" Sakuma Ryuichi, I know," Tohma smiled. Pretty face. Almost like Kumagoro's face. " Thank you for inviting me to your party. I don't have any friends here. Gets rather lonley."
He talked like he were in his teens. Ryuichi didn't know about that. Rather intimidating. " Yeah." With that, he walked off, leaving Tohma to frown and wonder what he did to displease him.
" Ryuichi!" Came a call. Ryuichi paused, feeling a pang in his chest. He's unconsciously avoided Kumagoro all day.
" Hey."
" Hey," Ryuichi replied.
" You...didn't like it, did you?"
" I thought you were joking."
" I wanted you to have it." Kumagoro insisted.
" It's...pink, Kumagoro."
Kumagoro went expressionless again for along moment. Ryuichi hated that. Kumagoro finally turned away, " Then throw it out if you don't want it."
With that, he walked away. Ryuichi wached him as he walked off, closer to the table where Tohma was sitting. Ryuichi sighed and decided he best leave it. His friend sure was making a big deal of a dumb pink bunny.
Would you hold my hand if I saw you in Heaven?
Would you help me stand if I saw you in Heaven?
I'll find my way through night and day
Cuz I know I just can't stay here in Heaven
" Kumagoro, hey," Ryuichi smiled as his friend picked up the phone. " I was..." He gasped as he heard a click. He hung up! Kumagoro HUNG UP on him! He slowly put the phone back on the reciever. Man, two whole weeks and Kumagoro avoided him like the plague. He frowned, going up to his room and grabbing that stupid pink bunny that caused it all.
" You're cursed, aren't you? Ever since you showed up, he's been avoiding me!" He strangled the cute little plushie. This was stupid. Kumagoro was refusing to take his calls, talk to him, sit with him, or do anything, just because of this stupid thing. What was the big deal anyway!
" You're all by yourself."
Ryuichi turned around. It was dusk and he'd been sitting with this stupid bunny thing for over an hour on the alleyway curb. He scowled when he saw Tohma. " You're very observant."
" Learning to like it?" Tohma asked, referring to the bunny.
Ryuichi swung the bunny at him, missing luckily, " This stupid thing is NOTHING but trouble!" He threw it into the dumpster and stormed off.
Tohma frowned. He waited until Ryuichi had turned the corner and glanced back at the dumpster. He looked around before crawling in and pulling out the dirty bunny. He admired the stitching and then glanced up to where Ryuichi was originally standing before Tohma had disturbed him.
" He doesn't seem to like you either, does he?" He whispered to the pink fluff.
" Maybe if you talked to him..."
" Tohma, don't be stupid!" Ryuichi scolded. " Besides, I've tried talking to him. If Kumagoro wants to play it this way, fine. I don't need him anyway if our friendship is gonna be broken of a stupid bunny."
Tohma said nothing at first. " You both are so stubborn." He let out a sigh. Ryuichi glanced at him. He had noticed Tohma was always dressed very nice. What a nerd.
" Being ten is hard."
Somehow this snapped Ryuichi out of this thoughts. He looked into Tohma's face. " It's just starting."
" I turned eleven a bit ago. Really, does it matter?"
" What ARE you talking about?"
" What is age? I mean, think about it. People always say 'Act your age.' But what defines age. Someone who is 9 can act the same as someone who is ten, eleven or even twelve. And we are expected to act in a certain immature way. Yet when we do, we're told to 'act our age.' If we are perfect, we are said to be too grown up. What is age, Ryuichi? Does it really break habits or destroy friendships?"
" No, fluffy pink bunnies do." Ryuichi muttered. Tohma sighed and threw his hands up in the air, " I sweat you are OBSESSED!"
Ryuichi had the NERVE to be surprised by Tohma's outburst as the blond stormed off. Kumagoro walked by and scowled at him, " Guess you just know how to annoy everyone, don't you?"
He frowned, " Kumagoro, this is stupid. I'm bored out of my mind without you. I'm stuck playing Chinese Checkers with my mom."
" Oooh, tragic," Kumagoro replied with utter sarcasm.
" It IS! Mama ALWAYS wins!"
Kumagoro was silent as he became still. It took a good 60 seconds before he finally smiled. " Nine, ten, you're still an idiot."
Was it really a smile? Ryuichi smirked, " I'm lonely."
" I gave you a friend."
" What, weird blond kid?"
Kumagoro chuckled, " Iie..."
" Kumagoro, I don't want to talk about that thing anymore. All it's doing is causing us problems."
" I'm sorry you didn't like it. I guess I overreacted too. Do you still have it?"
Ryuichi shook his head. " Iie. I got angry...and I threw it away. Gomen...gomen."
Kumagoro frowned. He looked hurt and glanced back at Ryuichi, " Don't worry about it. It was just some stupid plushie," he sighed.
" So, want to do something after school?" Ryuichi asked. Kumagoro shook his head. " I kinda have some things I have to do."
" Oh," from the younger of the ten year olds. " Maybe tomorrow then. Now like you're going anywhere or anything."
Kumagoro smiled as he stood up. " We're gonna be late for class."
Time can break you down; Time can bend your knees
Time can break your heart; Have you begging please. Begging Please
Kumagoro sat on the stoop outside his apartment building. He flipped through the photo album he'd kept. It was a scrapbook. Ryuichi had one too. Every time they did something together where pictures were taken, they always made doubles. Every photo had a twin. He sighed as he looked at pictures from when they were 9...even back to when they were Nyoko's age. Pictures of them both riding ponies, pictures of them both wearing theme costumes, pictures of them both in a pinch fight. Pinch fights were so popular with them when they were nine. Another sigh.
He needed a walk. He just needed...to move. So on he walked. It was getting to be dusk. He'd have to come home before it got too dark. But for now, he wandered aimlessly through the streets.
I got angry. He heard Ryuichi's voice repeating in his head. I threw it away.
" You threw it away," he whispered, glancing at the sidewalk. He looked up when he got a weird idea. If Ryuichi threw the bunny away, it was most likely at the dump by now. He smirked. The dump was where they would hang! He'd look for it! If Ryuichi really was as sorry as he was, maybe he'd take it back...and they could just laugh this whole thing off! What a terrific idea!
In a heartbeat, Kumagoro found speed and was off in a run towards the old gates that marked their hide-out. He squeezed through the gap with no problem. It was getting dark. He'd never been here when it was getting dark before. No matter. There was still a LITTLE light left. He'd be able to spot that pink trouble-maker with no touble. The moment he was in their special spot he began to dig through the mess. He jumped over the large concrete ditch back and forth to search piles on other side.
" Where is it? Geez, Ryuichi wasn't kidding when he said it was just nothing but trouble."
He heard a noise. Barking! Since when were there DOGS? He gasped and stepped back, tripping on a concrete pebble and losing his balance. He swung his arms in a desperate attempt to regain it, but to no avail as his heel slid back over the concrete ditch and he fell in hearing nothing but a loud crack and seeing only darkness.
" Moshi Moshi Ohayo Gozaimasu," Mama answered the phone. Ryuichi had fallen asleep on the couch watching television the night before. It was almost time to get up for school. He glanced up at Mama in the kitchen.
" Nani? Iie, Kumagoro didn't come here last night. If I see him I'll be sure to send him right home to you."
Kumagoro wasn't home last night? And he wasn't with his parents? Odd. The only time he went out without his parents was if HE was with him. He got up and rubbed his eyes. " Kumagoro isn't home?"
" Apparently no one has seem him since yesterday afternoon. His parents are very worried," Mama frowned.
Ryuichi had a hard time concentrating at school. He kept looking over to Kumagoro's desk. He hadn't shown up yet. He was getting worried himself. At least if Kumagoro would run away or play hookie, he should have at least had the decency to tell him. He could keep his secrets.
Lunch was no better. Ryuichi sat alone, glaring at the empty space where he would have expected his friend to join him. Across the cafeteria, Tohma watched him sorrowfully. This was even worse than that stupid bunny argument...or lack thereof. He didn't know Kumagoro well, but at least during that last fight...he knew he was safe at home. He glanced down at his own plate. Even he had lost his appetite.
" Three weeks and still nothing." Ryuichi sighed.
" You don't suppose he was kidnapped, do you?" From his father.
" Toshiya!" Mama scolded.
" Why else wouldn't he be seen!" He argued back. Mama pointed to Ryuichi, which only made his father blush, " Oooooh, I'm sure he's fine."
Ryuichi kept his frown as he stood up, " I'm going for a walk.
He kept his hands in his pockets and kicked a can as he walked.
" Ryuichi!"
HOW did he always end up where you least expected him!
" Tohma," he replied.
" Where are you going? Are you looking for him?"
" What makes you think I could find him if the authorities haven't?" Ryuichi shot back. Tohma wasn't surprised at that tongue and simply cocked his head to one side.
" I thought perhaps since you were his best friend, you may have a better idea of where he would go."
" My dad thinks he was kidnapped."
Tohma frowned, " That would be awful."
" I just wish I knew what happened. We finally made up and everything was just about to go back to normal again."
Tohma nodded. He really couldn't think of the words. He simply followed Ryuichi, who didn't act as though he were aware or even cared that the blond followed. Such a little leech! Nerd! Geek! Pest! He always ended up wherever he was if he wasn't at home. He was always nearby! It was CREEPY! Even creepier than Mama!
He glanced up at the fence.
" You come to the dump often?" Tohma asked, rather unsure about the layout.
" If you don't want to come then go. I didn't invite you in the first place."
Tohma frowned a moment, seeing Ryuichi climb the fence and walk into the dump. He looked around. He sighed, and followed, squeezing through the gap in the fence. Ryuichi watched him, unaware of why he felt so amazed by it. Kumagoro...he could fit through the gap so easily. He just slid through. Tohma did it too. They were a lot alike in some ways. Except, of course, Kumagoro wasn't some strange geek.
He deliberately walked a little slower, allowing Tohma to keep up. He wasn't sure why. Perhaps his lonliness had gotten the better of him. After all, he was fighting with Kumagoro...then only got to talk for 15 minutes before they weren't able to talk anymore...then he vanished. Three weeks of missing best friend...lonliness hurts. Tohma...he wasn't exactly BAD company. Ryuichi noticed he was generally rather quiet unless he wanted to say something. And there was usually a point to it. Ryuichi almost shamed himself for beginning to believe...Tohma was a pretty cool guy to hang with.
They walked until Ryuichi came into sight of his special spot. " We used to hang out here."
" Looks kinda unfriendly," Tohma replied. " Doesn't smell to pleasant either."
" You get used to the smell. Then..." he paused. He glanced at Tohma a moment and sniffed the air. Gods it was AWFUL! He looked around.
" We've been coming here for years...it's never smelled this bad. Not even on the hottest summer afternoons."
" Smells like dead animal." Tohma stated. " Maybe a rat or cat or some animal of the sort is rotting around here."
They looked around. Flies swarmed by the concrete water ditch. He took a few steps forward. Tohma became rather concerned, " Ryuichi, be careful. That doesn't look safe at all."
Ryuichi only half-processed what Tohma was saying as he slowly made his way for the edge and peered over. He froze, unable to react to the vision.
"Ryuichi?" Tohma called. He didn't like the look of this one bit.
Ryuichi grit his teeth, his muscles tensed. After a few second, he slammed his eyes shut and screamed, " KUMAGORO!"
Tohma took a step back in surprise of the scream. He gasped and called out to Ryuichi when he saw him slide down into the ditch and vanish into the swarm of flies.
" Ryuichi!" He called, running over. He froze at the edge, wide-eyed. How awful! In the ditch lay a rotting corpse. Pieces of it had been torn away by crows. The smell was awful and it was obvious it had been there a while. It gave him the chills. Ryuichi seemed to have lost all reason as he picked up the corpse and held the head against his chest and shoulder, stroking the dead hair as tears streamed down his face.
" Iie," he muttered. " Iie, Kumagoro. This isn't funny...this isn't funny. Tell me this a joke. This isn't real," he continued to mutter in a babble. " It isn't real and then I can yell at you for this joke that's so not funny."
" Ryuichi..." Tohma whispered. He turned and ran from the scene and darted from the gates, leaving Ryuichi alone with the dead body for several minutes before authorities arrived.
Beyond the door there's peace I'm sure
And I know there'll be no more tears in Heaven
A knock came to the front door as Mama was walking by. She'd been fiddling with her apron. A hearty dinner this evening. Just like the last few weeks since Kumagoro was found...Ryuichi refused to eat.
" Oh, can I help you?"
" Konbanwa," Tohma greeted politely. " I would like to talk to Ryuichi."
" Good luck. He hasn't said a word for such a long time."
Mama sighed. Talk about being careful what you wished for. All those times she had told Ryuichi to shut up...now she'd give anything to hear him talk, whine, whatever. She invited Tohma in and pointed him to the direction up the stairs to her son's room.
He proceeded upstairs and knocked on Ryuichi's door. No answer. He paused as he tried to decide what to do. He finally took the risk and opened the door, slowly. Ryuichi was laying away from him on his side. Slowly, the blond approached. " Ryuichi?" Was he asleep.
" I don't want to see anybody."
He frowned, " I'm sorry."
" This is all my fault."
" It wasn't your fault, Ryuichi. It was an accident."
He sat up and glanced at the wall, still facing away from Tohma. " He went there because of me, I know it. I lost my best friend in the world...and I can't ever have him back."
Tohma glanced at the carpet. " You can always have a part of him, Ryuichi. There are so many memories and I'm sure you have all sorts of memorabilia that will always keep a place in your heart for him."
Slowly, Ryuichi turned to Tohma and eyed him cautiously. He stood cradling something against him.
" What is that?"
Tohma glanced down at it and offered it to him with care. That...that pink bunny!
" Grandma washed him. I wanted to give it back to you...but I wasn't sure if it'd go back in the trash."
" That's what started this whole mess."
Tohma again paused, still offering the bunny. " He made it especially for you."
" Nani?"
" This. He made it himself. He was so proud of it that he wanted to give it to you."
Ryuichi narrowed his eyes, " How do you know that?"
" He told me. After you two split up at the party, he sat with me and told me all about it. He was so hurt that you didn't like it, as he had put a lot of hard work into it."
Ryuichi glanced at the bunny, slowly taking it from Tohma's arms. " Why didn't he just tell me then? I wouldn't have been so..."
" Careless?"
" If I knew he had MADE it himself, I would have felt differently about it."
" He didn't tell you because he saw your reaction and knew that you didn't really like it."
" For a shy kid, you sure have a lot of gossip."
Tohma gave a gentle smile, " I observe."
Ryuichi nodded and held the bunny to his chest. He lowered his head as he thought about it all. He sniffled as tears came to his eyes. In the next instant, he leapt at Tohma and held onto him with one arm while the other arm squeezed the plushie. Tohma was surprised at first, but gave a gentle smile, patting Ryuichi on the back and just being patient with the hold. After he was released, he frowned.
" I can't stay long. My grandma wants me home before supper."
Ryuichi was silent as Tohma left, laying back on his side and snuggling the plush as he continued to cry.
The week went that way. The plush was squeezed and examined several times.
The stitching is very professional. I can't believe he made this. He turned it over. He sniffed back his tears. Why? Why did you have to go there by yourself? I wished for us to always be together. You...you can't BREAK a birthday wish! He stared the bunny in the eyes.
" Kumagoro..." He frowned at first, but then smiled. " I guess I can keep you forever and you'll be with me everywhere I go and see everything I see." He hugged the plushie with a bright smile.
Would you know my name if I saw you in Heaven?
Would it be the same if I saw you in Heaven?
I must be strong and carry on
Cuz I know I don't belong here in Heaven
Cuz I know I don't belong here in Heaven
Ryuichi's father suggested therapy. He wasn't kidding when he said he'd take it everywhere. " It's not right, Mariko."
Mama frowned, " If it makes him feel better and doesn't get in the way of what he wants to do...then I don't care. Leave him alone, Toshiya."
Mama wore the pants. So his father went silent. Both were surprised to see Ryuichi fly out the door, holding the plush by the hand as though they were the same height as the poor thing hung limp.
" Ryuichi! Where are you going!"
" Tohma came back to visit! I want to see him!" Ryuichi said nothing else as he darted out the door and down the block to where he remembered Tohma saying he lived with his Grandma when he was in Tokyo.
He pressed the button with the Seguchi name on it.
"Hai?" Came a woman's voice.
" Is Tohma here? It's Ryuichi."
" Come on up, Ryuichi."
He did so, taking stairs and elevators to the upper floor where Tohma's apartment was. He knocked on the door and an elderly woman answered. Honestly he was amazed he remembered Tohma telling him the address. He'd never been here.
" Ryuichi?"
" Hai."
She beamed, " He's in his bedroom."
Ryuichi stepped in and glanced around. Wow, this apartment was Niiiiiiiice! The style was so intimidating. He snuggled the bunny close to his chest as he looked around. The woman pointed him in the direction of Tohma's room and he was sent on his way.
Despite the quiet appearance which was loud only in vision, Ryuichi couldn't help but listen to amazing music. It sounded kinda like a Piano. Probably a keyboard. Wow, this old woman even had classy music playing through the apartment! Talk about class!
He ventured to Tohma's room and went wide-eyed. The music wasn't coming from the radio. It wasn't coming from an adult. It really was right here in the apartment. The keyboard was set up...and the one playing was Tohma!
" That's amazing! I didn't know you played!"
Tohma glanced up at him and eyed the bunny. " There are a lot of things I know how to do. I like to write music when I'm bored."
" Play something you wrote." Ryuichi smiled, sitting beside him on the bed.
Tohma smiled and began to play a tune he had made up not long ago. He sideglanced to see Ryuichi bouncing the bunny along to the beat. Making it do silly dance moves until he was finally finished.
" That was terrific! Kumagoro liked it too." He looked at the bunny, " Didn't you?"
Tohma was a little...confused a moment. But, it all soon clicked. He wouldn't say anything. He simply smiled and patted the bunny on the head, " Thanks, Ryuichi. Thanks, Kumagoro. Ryuichi, can you play anything?"
" Iie. But, I like to sing."
" Wonderful," Tohma replied reaching under his bed for a portfolio. " I wrote a song once. Would you sing it if I played?"
Ryuichi about rocketed through the roof, " Of course! It's not a sappy love song, is it?"
" No. It's silly and about candy. But, it was my first try."
Ryuichi snatched the song from Tohma's hand and read it. " Play it!"
Tohma began a beat and backup music. After all, his keyboard was high quality with many buttons. Ryuichi set "Kumagoro" aside and bounced to the beat, finally beginning the words with as much seriousness as one could have. It was a short song though. But, nevertheless, Tohma smiled at him. " Wow, you really CAN sing."
Ryuichi frowned, " I wanted to be a performer. My dad says it's just kid stuff daydreaming. I'll probably end up with some boring job I hate when I'm grown up."
Tohma thought a while and smiled. " Ryuichi...maybe we will have boring jobs and maybe not. But, y'know, we're still kids. We got a long way to go before we get that far. So, why don't we just enjoy what we have now? We can play music all we like until we can't play anymore."
" Yeah...so much for singing about soccer conquests."
Tohma chuckled. " You still can. You can sing about anything you want. Would you still want him to play soccer if something happened to you?"
" Of course!" Ryuichi replied, as if the question was so simple. " He couldn't play to save his life, but it's what he wanted."
" I'm sure your first song will be a doozy."
The crowd cheered. Ryuichi turned to face Tohma. To think they'd been friends since he was ten. Every chance he got, Tohma visited his grandma in Tokyo, mostly to see Ryuichi. Ryuichi, in turn was always just as happy. They spent endless hours together...and the little Kumagoro Bunny too. Endless hours were spent playing music, trashing music, writing music. To think, out of high school, they'd be here...live on stage...their first live concert as...Nittle Grasper.
Ryuichi smiled as Tohma nodded to him...a sign for the last song of the concert. It began, and just as it did when he wrote it, it brought back the memories. It took them a long time to write this particular piece. After all, 10 years were involved, plus the time it took to write. It was not as flashy as their other songs...but, he kept it anyway. This one had sentimental value. It was indeed rather odd for such a powerful presence to sing about being a little boy, doing childish things...and singing praises to little pink bunny plushies. Nevertheless, the crowd cheered for this young Musical Godling. He was a genius, so anything he wrote was good.
The song came to a slow solo for Tohma as Ryuichi vanished from the stage momentarily to return with something cradled in his jacket. Tohma went silent...that pause before the final notes. Ryuichi grabbed the pink bunny plushie from his shirt and threw his hand high in the air, gripping the plush tight, " Tomodachi Kumagoro desu!" It echoed over the crowd and emphasized afterwards with Tohma's miraculous finish! The two glanced at each other as Kumagoro was still held high. He smiled up at it next with the silent conversation. Y'know, you'll see me do great things, Kumagoro and you'll be there to see it all. This is only the beginning of Sakuma Ryuichi's career...and the beginning of the Nittle Grasper Legends to come.
END